Faculty Book: Ruth Milkman

Ruth Milkman and Eileen Appelbaum

Unfinished Business: Paid Family Leave in California and the Future of U.S. Work-Family Policy
(Cornell University Press, 2013)

This book documents the history and impact of California’s paid family leave program, which began in 2004 and was the first of its kind in the United States. Drawing on original data from fieldwork and surveys of employers, workers, and the larger California adult population, the authors analyze in detail the effect of the state’s landmark paid family leave on employers and workers. They also explore the implications of California’s experience for the national debate about work-family policies. While business interests argue that paid family leave and similar programs impose significant costs and burdens on employers, the majority of California employers surveyed reported that its impact on productivity, profitability, and performance was negligible or positive. The authors lay out lessons for advocates in other states and localities. Ruth Milkman is a professor of sociology at the Graduate Center.